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1
Paz Vizsla hadn’t ever expected to see Din Djarin again after the Armorer declared him no longer a member of the Watch. He certainly had not expected to see another with him, much less the legendary Bo Katan Kryze. She had seemed unsure the entire time that the Armorer spoke to them both.
But she had become a Child of the Watch all the same. She was as much of a Mandalorian as he was.
Someone had led her to an empty room for her to use, which Paz had learned was just down the hall from his own. Paz was just a little bit ticked, given he had wanted as much privacy as he could find.
Better than Din, at least. He sighed and went back to polishing his armor, making sure it was in the best shape it could be in. As he worked, he marked the spots he’d need to repaint. Din hadn’t painted his armor, and maybe he’d get that growing target off his back if he wasn’t so shiny. Bo Katan’s armor wasn’t in much better shape from what he had seen. Maybe he should offer to show her where the supplies are.
He was probably due to pick up some more paint, anyways.
Quickly donning his armor and grabbing one of his smaller guns (you never know who’s going to show up) he pushed the button to open his door and stepped out.
Paz knocked on the door he had seen Jaal Norx leave earlier, and a moment later it slid open to reveal Bo Katan.
“Yes?” she asked, her voice modulated under her helmet.
“I wanted to confirm that Jaal had shown you where to find supplies,” Paz said.
“What kind of ‘supplies’ are you referring too?” She asked, cocking her head to the side.
Paz suddenly flushed, relaxing how that might have sounded to her. “Armor,” He choked out, “Supplies to keep your armor in shape.”
“Ah,” Bo Katan said, “No. Jaal had to run off to help with some foundlings.”
Paz nodded, knowing that Jaal had a problem with multitasking, “I can show you where.” he turned and began down one of the tunnels.
Bo Katan kept step with him and they walked in silence, occasionally passing another Mandalorian or foundling. They walked in silence until Paz found the door and punched in the access code, telling Bo Katan, “The code is Aliik.”
“Sigil?” Bo Katan quickly translated as the door slid open, “Very fitting.”
Paz stood aside to let Bo Katan enter, knowing the room felt small enough when he was inside it alone.
“Tools are on the bottom shelves, paints are on the middle shelves, sealant is somewhere in there and polish is on the top,” he called in and glanced as Bo Katan examined the cluttered shelves.
Bo Katan kneeled down to examine the tools on the bottom shelves, and Paz figured he might as well grab the paint he needed. Unfortunately, the door decided now was the ideal time to short circuit, slamming shut behind him and turning the lights off with it.
Bo Katan jumped up and narrowly avoided banging her head into a shelf. She turned, demanding “What was that?”
“The door short circuited,” Paz said, flicking the night vision on in his helmet.
“Is there a way to open it from inside?”
“Sort of,” Paz said and attempted to gesture to the panel behind him, “You’d have to get to the panel and pull a few wires to get it to open.”
Bo Katan sighed, “And you’re blocking the panel. Dank farrick.” She attempted to take a step back to get a bit more space between her and Paz, only to bump into the shelf, causing the jars to rattle and almost fall. Paz’s instincts kicked in and he grabbed the top shelf, stopping the risk of falling paints but also crowding Bo Katan back against the shelves so they were chest to chest. Paz felt his face heat up beneath his helmet and really hoped that Bo Katan didn’t try to stab him.
“Sorry,” he muttered, and right before he trusted the shelf enough to release it the door opened, spilling light into the room. It took Paz just a second to switch back to normal vision and even with the other Mandalorian’s helmet on he could tell they were shocked.
“This isn’t what it looks like,” Paz and Bo Katan both said at the same time. Paz released the shelf and let Bo Katan step out of the closet.
“Thank you for showing me where to find the supplies,” Bo Katan said stiffly and hurriedly left.
Paz nodded as he stepped out and glanced down at the other, who softly punched him in the arm, “Damn Vizsla, you really couldn’t let her get settled, could you?”
“Shut it,” he growled and started to walk off in the other direction.
“Did you show her the condom closet?” The other yelled back to him, bringing up the supplies that were kept for those who were ridduurok.
“ I said, shut it!” He yelled back, flushing hard and being so grateful for his helmet as the other laughed.
2
Din knew not much happened on this planet, besides training and the occasional festival or animal attacks, but this was a bit too far. There was a betting pool on who would end up with who, and Bo Katan had become a hot topic after the closet story got out. All someone had to do to annoy Paz was mention that closet and he’d glare through his helmet so hard you would feel it.
Most people had placed bets on Paz after that story, but there apparently had been a solid few pairing her with him after they had arrived together. A few bets were on Norrix Cun, who had been training Bo Katan in the way of the Watch. Jaal Norx was also a strong contender as she had become close to Bo Katan, and thinly veiled attempts to figure out what Bo Katan’s sexuality was had resulted in the knowledge that she did not care either way. Igna Ka Zudd had apparently become one of the wild card responses after the amount of sparring they did.
The real wildcard though was the Armorer, which turned out to be the biggest joke in that entire mess.
One day, Din added his vote to the Paz Vizsla section just to watch that entire club implod. Paz was confused as hell when everyone was attempting to discreetly ask if he and Bo Katan were a couple.
“That’s weird,” Din told him when Paz was venting at him while they sparred, "Although, is it true that you and Bo Katan were in the wrong closet-?”
Din got a few new dents in his armor before he could even finish the sentence, but he was laughing the entire time.
Bo Katan later gave him a look when she saw the dents and he just shrugged
3
Paz couldn’t tell if he was shaking from rage or fear or adrenaline or some mix of all three. His jet pack had run out of fuel and his rough landing hadn’t stopped him from trying to run after the stupid bird. But it kept getting further and further away as other Mandalorians dropped out of the sky.
Then the roar of a ship took his attention and he looked up to watch Bo Katan’s ship follow the creature into the distance. He sighed, knowing there was no use in continuing, and started the long walk back to the covert.
The entire time he walked he felt scared. Not for himself, but for Ragnar. Ragnar was just inducted into the order a few weeks ago. Force, had it been weeks? It felt like days. Ragnar was a child, his child. Not be blood but by passion.
Paz let his thoughts swirl around, bouncing between fear to half baked plans to rage. Eventually, he made it back to the covert.
Night was falling and he was exhausted, but he followed the sound of voices to where a group had gathered around Bo Katan. He listened as she explained how she had tracked the creature, and the plan to rescue his son. The entire time he just wanted to go, go to that creature’s nest, go fight, go find his son.
“Rest the night,” The Armorer said as Bo Katan finished, “You all will be no good exhausted.”
Paz wanted to scream the moment she spoke. A foundling was in danger! How could the covert be so callous to their young? They are the future! Ragnar is the future of clan Vizsla!
Instead, he just went back to his room and assembled his strongest weapons, checked his armor for any weak points, and grabbed as much ammo as he could carry and still move easily. But what if Ragnar was hurt? He should probably bring a medkit. But that would throw off his weight. Maybe he should leave some ammo behind. But what if there were more of them? He couldn’t afford to run out of ammo at a time like that. Maybe he should leave behind a blaster or knife. But then-
A knock at his door snapped him out of his thoughts. He pulled his helmet back on quickly and opened it, glad to still be in the rest of his armor.
Bo Katan leaned against the doorway, holding a cup of something, “I figured you’d still be up.”
Paz nodded, “Thank you for tracking that creature.”
The mandalorian held the cup out to him, “This is a brew my father used to drink before… uh, it calms my nerves. Helps me focus before a battle. I thought it might help you.”
Paz accepted the drink, bowing his head slightly. “Thank you, Bo Katan. For everything.”
“Try to get some sleep, Paz,” Bo Katan said as she walked off, “We have to be ready for anything.”
Paz nodded and let the door close, glancing at the scattered equipment. He could finish checking it over in the morning when he wasn’t so exhausted. He pulled off his helmet and took a sip, letting the liquid seep into his soul.
Of course, after Ragnar was brought back safely, someone asked Bo Katan for the tea recipe she had given Paz and they both knew someone had seen them
4
Bo Katan hadn’t sparred with anyone in a long time. Kalevala was a ghost planet compared to what it had been in her childhood, and she didn’t feel safe enough to seek anyone out. Bo Katan dodged the blow and went in with a punch to Paz’s side. She knew that it wasn’t powerful enough to slow him down but it was a start. Bo Katan faked a left then aimed for his right, but Paz saw through it and grabbed her before she could try. He had a strong grip on her waist, and she used it to her advantage, attempting to kick him in the helmet but instead hit him in the shoulder. Hard. It was probably surprise that made him loosen his grip, allowing her to duck out but not be able to block his punch. She stayed low as she took a step back, watching him as he did the same. It felt almost like a dance. They exchange blows and blocks and then fall apart before returning to fighting. Paz made the first move this time, quickly coming in with a punch that Bo Katan weaved under, and she was just about to punch him when he grabbed her arm. She didn’t have time to think before he had pulled her in and grabbed her other arm with his other hand. Before Paz could suggest surrender, she looped her leg behind his and pulled while pushing against his chest, knocking him off balance enough to take him down. She honestly hadn’t expected it to work, given his size compared to hers, but he still fell, unfortunately bringing Bo Katan with him.
“Are you alright?” Bo Katan asked as Laz released his grip on her.
“I’m fine, you?” He asked as she stood up and offered her hand out to him.
“Best out of three?” She suggested, and Paz took her hand, only to use it to pull her down and underneath him.
“I think I could go for round three.”
5
The X-Wing had been a surprise. Paz’s speech had been an even bigger one. Din had seemed unsure of how Paz would speak, and he truly seemed against the idea at first, but he rallied the covert into a fighting force.
“I was sure he’d be against it,” Din later admitted to Bo Katan as she run diagnostics on her ship.
“Paz seems to be full of surprises,” Bo Katan responded as she checked to make sure she had enough fuel and confirmed her star maps.
“I’m sure the closet was plenty of a surprise,” Norrix Cun added, and he laughed as Bo Katan glared at him.
Bo Katan sighed and muttered, “They are never going to let that go, are they?”
Din shook his head. “Not until they get something new to focus on.”
“Those birds weren’t enough?”
“Evidently not.”
Bo Katan sighed and turned off the charts. “I’m going to confirm the teams. Do you need a droid for the N-1?”
Din shook his head, “That’s Grogu’s spot.”
Bo Katan gave Din a look as she walked away, “You’re bringing him to fight pirates?” Din nodded and she sighed, “And I thought Pre had a strange teaching style.”
“Have fun talking weapons with Paz!” Norrix yelled after her, and she heard Din stifle a laugh. It must be an in joke in the Covert, as she had never heard that term get that reaction.
Bo Katan found herself in the armory discussing weapons with Paz as many were suiting up. Some of the others wanted more heavy artillery, but Paz was against the idea due to a lack of training on it. Bo Katan ended up agreeing, as adding more heavy artillery might make the drops harder to perform successfully, especially if they weren’t familiar with using it while flying.
This, however, greatly disappointed Jin Zo Lok, who had been very determined to prove himself. Jin Zo immetdaly argued, even after Bo Katan threatened to just completely replace him. Finally, he backed down, once Paz told him to try to fly and use a Plasma Laser at the same time.
Didn’t stop Jin Zo from muttering, “Of course he'll back up his girlfriend,” and getting smacked on the helmet for it.
“Jin Zo can’t seem to deal with an authority,” Paz muttered as he retreated.
“I know the type,” Bo Katan sighed, very glad the Children of the Watch called for helmet wearing at all times because if not she’d have it off and they'd probably notice her blush. “I swear, everyone seemed to want to tick off Pre.”
Paz laughed, “Seems to be a trait in the clan.”
+1
Bo Katan accompanied Din, the Armorer, and Paz to meet with High Magistrate Greef Karga to discuss the exact terms in which the covert was to operate. Even after Mandalore was gone Bo Katan still found herself having to discuss these kinds of things. Satine was always better than her at this. So she stayed mainly quite, occasionally offering some input and trying to keep her face neutral. It felt strange having her helmet off after having it on for so long. Freeing at first, but now felt like a burden.
As the meeting ended and the high magistrate shook hands with Din and the Armorer, she felt Paz’s eyes on her.
They fell into an easy position as Din and the Armorer spoke about plans for the Covert and o found herself walking besides Paz.
“You’re staring,” she finally muttered.
“You’re distracting,” Paz said, matching her tone.
“How long has it been since you saw someone without a helmet?” She snapped back, a little harder than she meant too.
Paz shrugged, “Long enough.”
Bo Katan didn’t feel like figuring out what that meant, so she just sighed.
The two of them walked in silence after, as though the other did not exist.
The change in their interactions didn’t go unnoticed by the Covert, and many started to discreetly question them.
“I don’t know what’s wrong with Paz,” Bo Katan finally admitted to Jaal Norx after firing most questions.
“Maybe he’s jealous,” Jaal said as she raised her blaster and took a shot at the diy-ed range.
“Jealous? Of what?” Bo Katan laughed as she examined Jamal’s shot, “Aim a little lower, it’ll help with the recoil.”
Jaal adjusted her grip and lined up her next shot, “Think about it, Bo. You have your helmet off almost all the time around more men than women.”
Bo Katan rolled her eyes, briefly remembering something Satine had told her about. Something about more Mandalorian women than men due to… something. “I am very aware of that fact. I swear, the Armorer seems to be able to sense every time I want to put it back on and she just gives me this look.”
“Was not my point,” Jaal sighed as she checked her blaster again, “Men like strong women.”
“That was not what I was taught,” she muttered, thinking back to the strange relationship she had with Pre.
Jaal paused for a moment, watching Bo Katan before saying, “Everyone thinks Paz is ticked off because he wanted to be the only one to see your face.”
Bo Karan’s head snapped up, a deep red flush painting her face. “Why would anyone think that?” She asked, trying to keep her voice neutral.
Jaal shrugged, “I mean, do I even have to mention the-“
Bo Katan glares at her and Jaal breaks out laughing. Bo Katan sighed and said, “Humor me, why else would anyone think that?”
Jaal seemed genuinely surprised that Bo Katan asked as she said, “Well, besides the closet, the tea.”
“His son was taken by that thing.”
“He backed you up against Jin Zo.”
“Jin Zo is an or’dinii.”
“I don’t disagree but I have never seen Paz do something like that. His solution is usually ‘let them figure it out themselves’. He once let Din get stuck to a metal detector when they were young.”
“This was different.”
“He got into a fight with Norrix Cun last week.”
“Why? When?”
Jaal paused, holstering her blaster, “After you guys finished sparring, which honestly could be a point in itself. He did it because Norrix Cun had told Paz that he was going to ‘talk weapons’ with you.”
“You watch too many holodramas,” Bo Katan said with a raised eyebrow, “And that means what exactly?”
“Sex, Bo, Sex.”
Bo Katan stayed quiet after that, occasionally coaching Jaal’s shots. When the sun started to set they took down the targets and headed back to the Covert.
Bo Katan took the supplies and put them away, deciding to just eat in her room instead of socializing with the other members of the Watch. Norrix Cun is cocky, but he didn’t seem like the type to go that far. Bo sighed as she straightened her shoulders and stepped into the doorway of the main hall, and suddenly the noise felt like too much to deal with right now. She turned away quickly, ignoring the hunger that had started to gnaw at her stomach. Bo Katan knew she’d be fine, she had dealt with worse when she was a member of Death Watch.
But she had never felt so alienated.
“You alright?” Din asked her as she passed him and his kid.
“Did you know people thought me and Paz were together?” Bo Katan blurted out before she could stop herself.
Din paused for a second, then nodded.
“Kriffing hell, why does everyone seem to think that?” She muttered as she walked away.
The Coverts new location was much smaller, as renovations were soon being made but Bo Katan couldn’t care less as she got to the small room she had been assigned. She picked her helmet up off her bunk and briefly considered throwing it into the wall. Instead, she set it down and went to work removing her armor. It really did need a new coat of paint and probably a few more repairs, she hadn’t even painted her new pauldron.
There was a knock on the door and Bo Katan stood to give it the cue to open, expecting Jaal or Din. Instead, Paz stood in the doorframe and asked, “Can we talk?”
Bo Katan nodded and stepped back so he could enter, telling him, “Lock the door, last thing we need is part two of the closet story.”
“That’s actually what I wanted to talk to you about.”
“Oh?”
Paz paused, considering his words before he spoke, “I am aware of some of the rumors going around the Covert and beloved we should speak to each other to determine how to handle them.”
Bo Katan nodded, “I’m guessing Jaal Norx spoke to you?” He nodded before she continued, “She spoke to me as well and brought up numerous… incidents that she believes led the Covert to circulate these rumors.” Dank farrik, how was ‘incidents’ the only word she could think of? Satine would laugh at her if she could see this!
“I believe we have a few options to deal with this,” Paz said, and Bo Katan nodded, “We could make it clear that we are just friends and allies, we could avoid each other until their talk dies down, or we could…” he paused, suddenly seeming unsure.
“If you are going to suggest a duel, no. You fighting Norrix Cun only made it worse.”
Paz lifted his head, suddenly seeming surprised, “Jaal mentioned-? Never mind, I was going to suggest playing into their idea until they got bored and moved on.”
The words were rushed as he spoke, and Bo Katan gave it a moment of consideration. “Are you suggesting ridduurok?”
Paz nodded, seemingly nervous for the first time since Bo Katan had met him. She stood up and looked him dead in the visor, placed a hand on his pauldron and moved up to the tips of her boots so her forehead was pressed agonist the cold metal of his helmet. She let her head rest there for a moment before returning to her normal height.
Paz seemed stunned and Bo Katan wondered if she had made the right move when Paz wrapped his arms around her waist to bring her closer and lowered his forehead to hers.
For a moment they stayed like that, and Bo Katan silently thanked Jaal for bringing it up. She’d have to thank her later.
“I’ll speak to the Armorer and Ragnar soon,” he promised as he lifted his head from hers.
“Give it some time first, Paz,” Bo Katan said, “Although, it would be fun to see everyone’s reactions.”
“I can’t even imagine how distracted by you I’d be,” Paz muttered, although it would give him something to shut Norrix up for good with.
Paz and Bo Katan had ended up speaking for much longer than he had expected, about almost anything they could think of. Mandalore, their childhoods, Ragnar and Din’s kid, but eventually Paz left to ensure that Ragnar was actually asleep and not getting into trouble. He had quickly placed his forehead against Bo Karan’s as he stood to leave in the doorway before hurrying off, only to find the Armorer a few halls away. She barely glanced at him as she said, “We have not yet unpacked most of the ridduurok supplies yet, Paz Vizsla, although I do believe some is with the paint supplies.”
Paz decided not to question the Armorer and just nod, deciding this was not something anyone needed to know.
It did stop him from checking near the scattered cans of paint and boxes in the temporary storage room that had been set up.